Redstone
by Kelpurple90
Summary: They had no idea about the ticking time bomb planted in Xephos' mind. Their lives changed after that moment. Contains Yogscast/Tekkit.
1. Prologue - Time Bomb

"Just like old times, huh Lalna?" The spaceman glanced at the scientist to his right. Honeydew had already disappeared into the crumbling factory. They had just got there from a long trip over many different lands. It almost brought tears to their eyes – to Honeydew, it had. "Back at the Jaffa Factory...years fly by when you don't pay attention." He smiled. Lalna adjusted his goggles slightly as he looked up at the broken symbol of Honeydew Inc. A lot of work needed to be done on this factory, but it was possible. Especially since the dwarf had already begun on repairing it.

"Yeah, it sure is. I heard Sjin and Sips are coming back to fix up Sipsco." He remarked. "So, it really WILL be like old times." He shrugged, before he decided to go help Honeydew. "Are you just going to stand around talking for ages or are you going to help?" The scientist called back to Xephos, who was looking at the broken Sipsco facility. Xephos blinked, looking at Lalna.

"Sure, sure. I'll come help." He quickly ran after Lalna, tagging him. "You're it. Might as well have some fun while doing a mindless task." He winked, running inside the Jaffa Factory. Lalna smirked, running after the spaceman. Honeydew was almost knocked over at the two ran past him. He stood for a few moments to regain his composure, clearing his throat.

"Bloody hell!" His head was spinning from the two running past. "How do those two have so much energy?" It seemed his energy high from seeing the Jaffa Factory was running out. He watched as the spaceman and scientist ran around after each other, tagging each other. They still managed to fix various areas of the factory while they were doing this, and this impressed Honeydew. "Hmm...I think this needs a new name." He gently rested his hand on the wall of the Jaffa Factory, the other stroking his ginger beard. "Our organisation...now it should be 'Jaffa Industries Space Mining!'" He nodded. "I'll have to get Xephos to put up the new sign...well, when they've finished playing." A smile formed as he watched his co-workers 'play'. It really DID feel like old times.

* * *

Meanwhile, Sips and Sjin stood next to the dried up pool. The buildings were as messed up as the Jaffa Factory was. Blocks and machines broken or missing from the structures.

"Well Sjin," The grey-skinned man turned to his co-worker. "It seems like we have a hell of a lot of work to do." He took out his sword as a zombie ambled towards the two. Sjin, the quicker mover and thinker, sliced through the zombie with ease. "You think you'll be able to stay away from your girly farm for long enough?" Sjin's face turned red in both embarrassment and shock.

"I-It is not girly!" He retorted. "Farmers are usually male instead of female! Anyway, Sipsco comes first in this instance - especially while Girl Guide Corporation is working on their Jaffa Factory right now." He explained. Sjin had even changed out of his farm clothes back into his Sipsco uniform before the trip to enforce the point. He then decided to ignore the rest of Sips' mocking and began working on repairing the compound. Sips watched the bearded man work quickly. He never knew Sjin could be this efficient. 'Soon it'll be back to normal in no time.' He thought to himself. Sips looked into the pool, seeing mould and other kinds of organisms growing in the bottom. He leaned back from it, deciding to leave that job to Sjin. Or a new pool boy...

"Sjin, remind me to hire a new pool boy!"

"Sure thing, boss!" Sips smiled. Things _were_ getting back to normal.

* * *

"E-Enough, enough! You win!" Xephos sat panting on a level above the ground floor. Lalna stood in front of him, also panting. They were both sweating from the amount of running they did everywhere. Lalna helped the spaceman onto his feet, smirking.

"Alright! I'm never going to let you live this down, you know that right?" He winked. Xephos rolled his eyes. Knowing the scientist, he would forget it in about two minutes. "I'll just go check on Honeydew to make sure he's ok." He watched as Lalna went back down to the ground floor to check on their dwarven friend. He climbed the partly broken ladder up to the next floor – one they hadn't gone to yet. Xephos decided as he was the most skilled in fighting that he should scout out each floor. The other two were repairing the ground level, so they were too busy. Xephos took the diamond sword from his back, twirling it once. He didn't see anything _too_ unusual – just some low level mobs that he dispatched with ease. He only cleared out what he needed to, leaving the rest for his co-workers. On the next floor, Xephos had a strange feeling. He peeked up above the floor as he glanced around. There it was – the witch's alter. 'A witch has moved in?' He asked himself, climbing onto the next floor. His diamond sword was still firmly in his hand as he edged closer towards it. Xephos noticed white chalk marking on the ground, wondering what they could mean. He stood in front of the alter for a moment, not entirely sure of what it did. That's when he heard it.

"Snooping around my home now, are you?" Within a second Xephos had spun to face the voice's owner. The witch stood in front of him, black robes adorning her figure. It was matched with a black witch hat, and she glared at the spaceman with her two eyes that glinted in the darkness of her robe. "I'll teach you not to poke around where you're not wanted!" Xephos had to move fast to dodge the incoming attack. He dodged yet another attack, his diamond sword firmly in his grasp.

"Don't mess with me! This is our factory, so you're leaving! Whether it's by death or otherwise!" He shouted, running towards the witch. The spaceman narrowly dodged another magic attack, slashing at the witch's arm. She screamed, before she grabbed the diamond sword. The moment she touched the sword it dissolved into nothing, leaving Xephos without a weapon. He backed up away from the witch, who was charging up another attack. "Shit..." He muttered, reaching the broken wall. Xephos suddenly had an idea, remembering the markings. 'That should weaken her...' He nodded; ducking down as the attack came soaring towards him. He winced, the attack singeing his cheek as he dodged. Xephos then made his move, dashing towards the chalk marks. He started rubbing a marking away, noticing the witch flinch and writhe. He smirked, taking out his hammer as he stood before the witch. "Any final words?" The spaceman asked as the witch backed against the wall. She looked straight into his glowing blue eyes.

"No. But I'll do this!" Dust-like magic sprayed from the witch's hand, going straight into Xephos' eyes. He cried out, holding his eyes. They were stinging with immense pain. He felt a touch on his forehead, before the spaceman fell to the ground. "I hope you like your _gift_, spaceman!" The witch cackled, leaving Xephos alone. Xephos just laid there for a few moments, waiting as his vision cleared. He sat up, holding his head. It was ringing. 'What the fuck did she do to me?' He thought to himself. Though, he didn't have time to dwell, as Lalna and Honeydew suddenly burst from under the floor. They glanced around until their eyes landed on Xephos, rushing over to him.

"Xephos?! Hey, man, you ok?" Honeydew sat beside his friend, looking into his eyes. They weren't glowing blue like usual anymore. They were dull, and red invaded them like smoke in water. The edges were still blue, but they did not glow as much as usual. "What happened up here? We heard you shout, and then we heard a scream, or something." He explained.

"J-Just a witch, nothing major." Xephos smiled. Honeydew sighed with relief, hugging his friend. Xephos glanced up at Lalna, who was looking around at the alter and other various witch things. "You look concerned? What's wrong, friend?" Lalna blinked as he glanced at Xephos. He shrugged. He DID feel like something was off, but he couldn't quite pinpoint it.

"...It's nothing. Just a feeling, I'm sure it'll pass." He replied. Honeydew and Lalna helped Xephos onto his feet. "Anyway, we need to get back to fixing this place up, right?" Lalna added. Honeydew nodded. The three then got back to fixing the factory, having no idea about the ticking time bomb planted in Xephos' mind.

* * *

A/N: I got this suggestion a while back, but I thought I'd upload it now. Suggested by **tatorkator** on here. Also, you'll understand why it's called 'Redstone' soon. I did have another name for this, but I'll probably save that for a different one. Spoilers? - And I realise now that the Jaffa Factory no longer exists as such, but whatever xD


	2. Two Months, Insanity Sets In

It had been two months since Xephos, Honeydew and Lalna had returned to the Jaffa Factory. Every day Xephos was losing his sanity more and more. At first nobody noticed, since it was only little changes. But, after these two months, Xephos was no longer who he used to be. The three had been planning to continue their space adventures by building a machine that could mine from space. Xephos had been primarily working on this, but soon Lalna had to intervene and take over before he did something stupid. Honeydew told Xephos to take a break, or something, but the spaceman wouldn't listen. He craved...something. Chaos? Maybe. Neither Honeydew nor Lalna had figured it out yet. But something had to be done. Xephos had already started destroying things, and soon he'd move on to killing people, Lalna predicted. Lalna and Honeydew sat in the revamped penthouse, trying to think of a way to help Xephos.

"You know magic, don't you? Surely you could undo what that bitch did?" Honeydew pointed out. Lalna sighed, shaking his head. Even though he did know magic, he was not as strong as that witch. Honeydew drummed his fingers lightly on the table beside him. Neither of them knew what to do. They could hear Xephos shouting and laughing maniacally in a lower level. Lalna then had a thought, adjusting his goggles slightly.

"Why don't I go see Sjin?" He suggested. He noticed Honeydew was about to retort, but he continued quickly. "I mean, he can help me find a cure for the curse. We work together on magic from time to time anyway." Lalna explained. Honeydew thought about this for a moment. It WOULD make sense to get help of any kind, and Sjin happened to be at Sipsco right now. It wasn't that far to go, and it could save Xephos.

"...That sounds like it could work." Honeydew agreed. "Right, so you go and find Sjin at Sipsco while I keep Xephos busy. I mean, we can't let him figure out what we're doing." He explained. Lalna nodded, standing up from his chair. He turned to walk away when he felt the dwarf's hand around his wrist. "Be careful, Lalna. I might not be able to keep Xephos away." Honeydew murmured. Lalna blinked behind his goggles.

"Sure thing. I won't let him down, Honeydew. I can't."

* * *

Lalna trudged along the grassland, which was muddy and wet from rain. He had forgotten that even though it seemed close, the Sipsco compound was actually quite a walk away. It also didn't help that it was windy and raining at the same time. Of course Lalna would decide to visit Sipsco IN A STORM. At least he could see through his goggles, since he had modified them for occasions like this. He was definitely more scientist than wizard. He could see the large, newly rebuilt buildings ahead, smiling. Finally, he was here.

"Lalna? What're you doing here?" The familiar voice surprised Lalna, as he turned to his left. There stood the farmer, Sjin, in his Sipsco attire. "Are you lost?" The scientist shook his head.

"No, Sjin. I came here to find you." Lalna replied. "Let's go inside. It's too cold and windy to talk properly!" He had to raise his voice to be heard. Sjin quickly lead Lalna inside, taking him to Sips' office. He helped Lalna dry off, before the three of them sat down to talk. Lalna explained the situation from the beginning, starting with the day the curse was placed on Xephos. "We think the witch has somehow tampered with his mind. Ever since that they he's been becoming less and less sane." He finished. Sjin nodded, thinking.

"So why did you come here, goggles?" Sips asked, leaning back in his chair. "Do you want our sympathy?" Lalna rolled his eyes, beginning to think that this was a bad idea. Like these two would take him seriously!

"Be serious for once, Sips!" Sjin glanced at his boss. This shocked both Lalna and Sips. Sjin never usually just outright told Sips what to do. "This is a serious matter. If we're not careful, he could kill all of us." He pointed out. Lalna smiled on the inside - he remembered that Sjin wasn't like Sips. He was compassionate, caring, while his boss saw everything as a joke. Sips cleared his throat, nodding

"Y-Yes, of course." He murmured. "So, why did you actually come here, Lalna?" He turned to the scientist. The two sets of eyes were on Lalna, but it didn't make him feel any different. He was used to two sets of eyes on him anyway. He paused for a moment as he gathered his thoughts.

"Well, Honeydew and I realised we need to stop him. I had the idea that maybe Sjin could help me with breaking the curse." Lalna suggested. "I don't really know if our combined power will be strong enough, though." He added. Sjin thought to himself, closing his eyes. They weren't really the best wizards around. The one to go to would be Rythian, but he had disappeared somewhere so they had no clue where he was.

"If magic doesn't work, why not a try good old fashioned trap?" Sips suggested. Lalna shifted his gaze to Sips. "I mean, traps are fun." Sjin then glared at his boss. "A-And it'll definitely work! We'll be able to keep Xephos somewhere safe. It'll give you two more time to try figure out how to save him, or find someone who will." Sips continued quickly. Lalna thought about this for a moment. He guessed it would make sense.

"...Sure. We might as well try."

* * *

Meanwhile, back at the Jaffa Factory, Honeydew was keeping a close eye on his deranged friend. He didn't seem to be that dangerous at the moment, as he was just talking to himself. He remembered hearing him once comparing redstone to blood. Xephos seemed to be obsessed with redstone. Honeydew sighed, leaning against the wall.

"Are you just going to stand there all day?" Xephos suddenly turned to face Honeydew. "Why are you watching me?" He towered over the dwarf, more so than usual. Honeydew flinched, his gaze meeting with Xephos' eyes. They were fully red now – blood red. The smoky effect was still there, but with just a darker shade of red instead of blue. If Honeydew could just see his friend's eyes, he would not recognise him. "Huh?! Answer me!" The spaceman forced Honeydew back against the wall, the tip of his new sword against the dwarf's neck.

"I uh...I-I'm your boss! I can watch you whenever I want!" Honeydew somehow managed to build up the courage to face his friend. He had to some time. "Now, get back to work!" Xephos slowly let go of Honeydew, taking one step back. 'Finally. He has SOME sense.' Honeydew thought, before Xephos started chuckling. "W-What are you laughing at?"

"...I can hear your fear, Honeydew." The soft whisper replied. The sudden change made Honeydew flinch. Xephos could be loud in his insanity, but it was when he was quiet that terrified Honeydew the most. "You try to hide it, but you just can't." Xephos licked his lips, smirking. "I know how I make you feel. Especially when I'm like this." He then turned back to the various chests that he was searching through. Honeydew let out a silent sigh. He felt like he wanted to cry, but that would just make him worse. He watched Xephos search through the chests, noticing his smirk fade into a frown. "...Huh. No redstone." The spaceman muttered. He turned to Honeydew, piercing him with his blood red eyes. He then tiled his head, smiling slightly. "Sipsco...they should have plenty." Xephos whispered. Honeydew's eyes grew wide. 'Shit! That's where Lalna is!' He thought.

"A-Are you sure there isn't any in the chests? Maybe y-you should check again?" He suggested quickly. "M-Maybe in the chest downstairs. Why don't you go check there?" He asked. Xephos looked at Honeydew with dull eyes. He slowly walked towards his friend, kneeling down so they were at eye level.

"...What are you hiding?" He whispered. He then glanced around. "...Lalna?!" Xephos called. 'SHIT! He's realised it!' Honeydew thought. His hands were visibly shaking now. When there was no reply, Xephos looked back at Honeydew. "Ah. THAT'S what you're hiding. Well, it doesn't matter. I'm going to Sipsco to get redstone, and you're not stopping me. Whether Lalna tries to stop me or not won't matter." He stood up, jumping down the hole that they all used to fly to the different levels. Honeydew quickly ran after the spaceman, scrambling out of the door. He stood in front of the taller man, trying to hold him back.

"You have to stay here!" The dwarf shouted. Even though he was smaller, he had amazing strength. He could stop Xephos from advancing further. Unfortunately, it was not enough. Xephos slapped Honeydew's face with the back of his hand, causing him to fall on the ground. The spaceman didn't even notice when his flying ring slipped off his wrist, falling on the ground near Honeydew.

"Tch! How were we ever friends?!" He shouted. "You're just an annoyance, a nuisance!" He kicked Honeydew so he curled up. "I don't have to listen to you! Not anymore!" Xephos smirked. "I...I will _destroy_ you. One day..." He kicked the dwarf's face, causing blood to run from his nose. He knelt down beside Honeydew, wiping the blood on his face. Xephos looked at his blood stained fingers, licking the blood from them. He smirked as he stood up. "But, for now, I need that redstone." He then continued walking towards the Sipsco facility, leaving Honeydew writhing on the ground. Honeydew noticed the flying ring with his hazy vision, slowly reaching out to it. 'At least he can't fly...' He thought, before he blacked out.


	3. Nothing's going to happen

Lalna, Sips and Sjin had taken to a new watchtower the pair had built. From there they saw clearly what Xephos did to Honeydew. Lalna clenched his hand into a fist around the railings, tears forming behind his goggles. Sips crossed his arms in front of his chest, a slight look of shock in his expression.

"Damn...he really HAS lost it..." Sips murmured. Up until this point, he was still a little laidback and jokey. Now he realised it was serious. "Well, we'd better make that trap quick. But...how are we going to get him to get to the trap?" He asked.

"Why don't I lead him?" Sjin perked up. "Lalna needs to continue figuring out how to make him better, and he's more likely going to listen to me than he is to you." He explained. He glanced at the scientist, who was hesitant. Lalna didn't want to put another person's life at risk for this. He KNEW how Xephos was being.

"You're putting yourself in great danger, Sjin. Are you sure about this?"

"I've never been more sure in my life." Sjin nodded. Lalna climbed down the watchtower, leaving Sips and Sjin alone. The farmer turned to face his friend. "Sips...if something happens..." Sjin looked into his boss' eyes. "If something happens to me...know that..."

"_Nothing's_ going to happen." Sips took Sjin's hands in his own. "Stop talking like that." He murmured. He was tempted to kiss Sjin, but now was not the time. Sips then let go of Sjin, a determined look on both their faces. "Now, you get your ass down there and help Lalna." He smirked. Sjin nodded, saluting before quickly following down after Lalna. 'I'll do this for you, Sips.' He thought. The farmer and the scientist began setting their trap. A hole in the pool boy interview room. Lalna mentioned how recently Xephos had only been carrying around weapons or redstone. So he forgot about carrying normal blocks. They made the hole large enough so Xephos couldn't escape, but not so deep he would die. It was a cage - One where he would be safe from harm, but also where he couldn't get to anyone.

"Hey Sjin, you should go get some redstone to lure Xephos in here." Lalna called up from in the hole. "I mean, he's been obsessed with the stuff recently. We haven't worked out why, though." He began digging his own way out of the hole, but making sure Xephos couldn't escape. It wouldn't take him long, only a few minutes.

"Yeah, sure thing, Lalna!" Sjin called back, rushing into the storage room. He searched through the various chests until he found at least a stack of redstone. "That should be enough..." He nodded. The farmer walked out of the storage facility, making his way towards the interview chamber. Soon Xephos would be back to normal, Sjin hoped.

**BANG!**

Suddenly Sjin fell to his knees. He slowly looked down at his side, where a nail was pierced into his skin. Blood began to drip from the wound. Sjin looked to his right, the direction the nail had come from. There stood the insane spaceman, with a bloody smile on his face.

"I-I saw you with that, Sjin!" Xephos began to walk towards the wounded man, before Sips ran to Sjin's side. He stopped, his gaze becoming a glare. "Tch...Get out of my way, Sips!" He shouted, shooting another nail from his nail gun. This time it was deflected by a force field Lalna had created. The scientist stood in front of the two, protecting them. "Lalna...so you WERE hiding here." Xephos blinked, smirking. There were faint murmurs that came from Sips as he talked to Sjin.

"You have to stop, Xephos..." Lalna started.

"Stop?! NOBODY CONTROLS ME, so why do people act like they do?!" Xephos clenched his hand into a fist. His nail gun changed into a diamond sword that glowed with ominous mist. "Now either die quietly or fight me!" He added, his voice hushed. Lalna glanced back at Sips and Sjin. Sips had gotten Sjin onto his feet. He gave one look at Lalna, nodding, before he took Sjin inside. Lalna sighed, looking back at Xephos. He slowly took out his emerald sword.

"...I'm only doing this because it's for your own good, Xephos." His voice was quiet, but it got the point across. The two just stood, motionless, for a few moments. "I'm sorry." The last words spoken before the two clashed. They were almost easily matched, but Xephos was the more trained of the two. He was more nimble and quick, while Lalna was clumsier than the adept spaceman. 'Damn it...' The scientist regretted refusing to join Xephos for training. It would have helped a lot now. But he saw the wounded dwarf clear in his mind, and he made his resolve. He would stop this psychotic spaceman, whatever it took. This sudden resolve gave him the strength to overpower Xephos for a few moments, creating a deep gash on his cheek. Then a slash on his arm, the diamond sword dropping from his grasp. Lalna stood over the trembling spaceman; who was lying on his back, on the ground. It was odd to see him trembling. Was he scared? Or was his insanity just so great that his body was also experiencing it? He knew Xephos wasn't 'ok'. His eyes were still red and smoky, and they carried that same deranged look. It had just become natural now; like his previous eyes were just a memory, or a dream.

"I-I guess you win, Lalna." Xephos panted quietly. "Just like tag, huh?" Lalna blinked behind his goggles. There was still hope...it was just exploiting that and reclaiming the Xephos they all knew back from wherever he was cast off to. The spaceman sat up, staring up at the scientist above him. "...So, will you kill me?" He asked. Lalna was almost taken by surprise at that question, but he wasn't. To Xephos, life was now about power. If he had none, why live? Lalna put his emerald sword away, shaking his head. He couldn't...he didn't have the 'guts'. Or maybe he was just too caring about his friends? Whatever the reason...Lalna just couldn't kill the spaceman.

"No. I will not kill you." He replied. "I will not kill a friend." He closed his eyes, waiting. Lalna never opened his eyes again. But he heard a few words before the world went silent.

"Big mistake, _friend_. You should have killed me."

* * *

"S-Shush, you big babby." Sips murmured, trying to keep himself from crying as he heard Sjin's quiet whimpers. He had wrapped some cloth he had found around the wound, after the painful task of removing the nail. The cries were heartbreaking; hearing his lover shout for him to stop, even when it had to be done. Sjin's head was resting in Sips' lap as they huddled in the corner of the lower level of the storage room. Sips cradled the farmer gently, wondering what was going on. They couldn't hear anything from being down underground. "Look...get some sleep." He murmured. Sjin glanced up at Sips, holding one of his hands. He nodded slowly, curling up closer to Sips even though it was agonizing. Sips watched as the farmer drifted off, letting out a quiet sigh. 'Lalna...you need to stop him. If not...we're all dead.' He thought to himself, glancing at the ladder. He lay Sjin down, covering him with whatever he had – some leftover cloth and a jacket. "Stay here, Sjin. I'll be back before you know it." He whispered, taking out his sword. He had no idea what would be out there, but he would have to face it eventually. But not Sjin. He would protect him with his life, if he had to. That was a promise Sips made to himself.

_I will not let him die. I will protect him no matter what._


	4. Naive?

Honeydew stood at the edge of the Sipsco Compound, watching as his former best friend ran his sword straight through the scientist. His eyes were wide, his hands shaking uncontrollably. His pain suddenly vanished, seeing Lalna being impaled. All he could think of was one word.

**Shit.**

He held the flying ring in his hands, barely able to keep hold of it. Half of him wanted to break it or toss it away; destroying anything Xephos had ever been in contact with. But...the other half was just too scared to do anything, desperately hoping he would not succumb to the same fate as his blonde friend. The scientist's body slumped onto the spaceman, his lips moving very slightly. His last words. Honeydew couldn't make out what he said, but Xephos merely stepped back as he let the dead scientist thud onto the ground. He ripped his sword out of the lifeless corpse, running his hand down the bloodied blade. Again he licked the blood from his fingers, a deranged laugh escaping his lips. Honeydew quickly hid before Xephos noticed him. One question was clear in his mind. What about Sips and Sjin? Are they also dead, or are they in hiding? His breathing was quickly and painful. He held his side gently, watching the spaceman look around.

"Where have you two hidden? Sjin? Sips?!" He called. Phew, Honeydew sighed with relief. At least they were still alive. "I'll spare you if you come out—oh." Honeydew peeked out from where his hiding to follow Xephos' gaze. He saw Sips, holding his sword. "Come now, Sips. You HONESTLY don't believe you can beat me?" Xephos smirked, laughing. Honeydew could even see from where he was hiding that Sips' hands were shaking. His breath caught in his throat when he watched Xephos place the tip of his blade against the grey man's neck. Slowly he snuck forward while Xephos' attention was not focused on him. "Not backing down? I wonder why that is." The spaceman's face was inches from Sips'. He was trying to be intimidating. He was succeeding. Sips was frozen in place, still refusing to move. Xephos' eyes glowed dark red for a split second before he smirked. "Oh...you're protecting little Sjin, aren't you?!" Sips flinched. "Why are you all so easy to read, like a book?!" Xephos shouted, shoving Sips against the wall. The grey man groaned, leaning against the wall. He watched the deranged spaceman approach, holding his sword level. Xephos drove his sword into Sips' shoulder, causing the man to swear and groan. "Fuck, I thought maybe you, Sips, would be a little less predictable!" He hissed. He stopped when he heard something, ripping the sword out of Sips' shoulder when he moved. Sips quickly clenched his shoulder, swearing to himself. Xephos was knocked to the ground by Honeydew, holding his face.

"Bastard... That's for my nose." Honeydew muttered, taking the spaceman's sword and knocking him unconscious with it. He sighed, looking at Sips. "Are you ok?" He asked. Sips nodded, even though he didn't look it. Honeydew watched the unconscious mad man, sitting beside him. "...Why...? Why him?" He whispered, a tear forming in his eyes. "Fuck...fuck!" He punched the ground hard, closing his eyes. Sips could feel his warm blood running onto his fingers, pressing harder even though it killed. 'Sjin...' He rushed back inside, even though his arm felt like it was going to fall off. He left Honeydew alone with Xephos, as he jumped down to the lower level. Sips watched the farmer sleep, sighing quietly. He quickly bundled Sjin in his arms, ignoring the searing pain in his shoulder. 'You're safe, my love.' He thought to himself, resting his head against Sjin's neck. 'I promised I'd protect you...' Sips nodded, kissing Sjin's cheek gently. He heard slight murmurs from the farmer before he went quiet again. It didn't matter that Sjin was asleep now – he was safe.

* * *

Honeydew gently removed the goggles from Lalna's corpse, holding them to his chest. He thought he should recover Lalna's body before Xephos woke up. He didn't really know what they would do with him when he WAS awake, but he had to pay his respects. Lalna...their friend...a successful scientist and mage...dead. All because of a stupid witch bitch fucking with his best friend's mind. They had no idea how to help him either! The cycle of thoughts kept frustrating Honeydew. There was the obvious way, but he couldn't. They HAD to find another way. He laid the body beside the storage buildings, deciding that he would do a proper burial later. Right now, he had to keep an eye on Xephos. Honeydew turned back to watch the spaceman...but his body had gone.

"Oh no..." He glanced around. "That's not good..." He muttered. Honeydew froze when a cold feeling on the left side of his neck. He glanced at it, seeing the familiar red of redstone. It scraped his skin as it was dragged on it. He didn't dare move.

"No...It's not good." Xephos ran his tongue roughly over the dwarf's neck. "It's AMAZING." He chuckled, forcing the dwarf to sit down as he did. The dwarf couldn't work out how he had recovered so fast...maybe it was his alien DNA? Maybe he was faking it, waiting for the right moment. Whatever it was, Honeydew could only think that he would die now. Xephos dragged the redstone harder on Honeydew's skin, his wet tongue causing the wounds to sting. "Honeydew... I don't feel like killing you." He whispered. "You're too...hmm, what's the word..."

"N-Naive?"

"...That would work." Honeydew let out a quiet sigh. "What's wrong, my dwarven friend? Is something upsetting you?" Xephos' calm whisper kept Honeydew on edge. The way his arms kept their bodies close was another thing that just prevented the dwarf from relaxing. Being in the arms of a murderer..._great_. This is EXACTLY where Honeydew wanted to be. NOT. He just hoped that Sips and Sjin were ok, and that they could escape. Even if he would die, or distract the spaceman, someone had to survive. And they had done nothing wrong. "Honeydew...I'm talking to you." The sharp edge of one of the stones slit the dwarf's skin, causing him to wince.

"N-No. Of course not." Honeydew quickly replied. "I'm f-fine." He smiled slightly, even though Xephos couldn't see. He heard Xephos chuckle, closing his eyes. 'Fuck...' Honeydew thought. He wanted to run away, but any movement and Xephos would surely kill him – even if he said he wouldn't. Psychotic people change on a whim like that. "...So...w-what are we going to do now?" He asked bravely. It took a lot of courage to speak up like that, for the dwarf. Xephos was quiet for a few moments as he thought.

"Hm...That's a good point." He murmured. "What ARE we going to do? Should we go find Sips and Sjin? Or should we just go back to our-I mean, YOUR Jaffa Factory? I mean, since YOU did all the work on it. Building the walls, the machines, the floors, the wiring, circuitry...YOU did all that, didn't you?" He replied, his voice getting lower as he moved closer to Honeydew's ear. "Oh...wait. NO, you DIDN'T. You DIDN'T building it – everyone else did. You DIDN'T build the machines – you left that to me and Lalna. You COULDN'T do the wiring and circuitry – your small dwarven brain couldn't cope with that." Xephos hissed, mocking and patronizing Honeydew. "So, what _exactly_ do you do, Honeydew? Do you do anything? You DIG. Wow, _impressive_. A fucking dog can dig. You _play_ with pigs and mess around. YOU. DON'T. WORK." Honeydew didn't dare open his eyes, his body tense. Xephos could feel this, gently rubbing his shoulders. "Hey, hey. No need to get worked up. You don't do the 'work' part, right?" He added, a cruel laugh following his words. Honeydew wished this hell would end. 'Please...stop.' He wished silently.

* * *

A/N: Just a heads up - I might not upload tomorrow. I definitely won't upload over the weekend since I'm going to a friend's, but tomorrow is just dependant on whether I can write enough or not. Well, I guess you'll find out tomorrow. Or maybe on my profile, if I remember xD Sorry about that!


	5. Cry!

The two Sipsco workers stayed underground while the 'talk' between Xephos and Honeydew was occurring. Sips had fallen asleep beside his partner, the two getting blood in various places. Over their torsos, mainly, and arms. But neither of them cared, though Sjin hadn't seen their state yet. They were together in this messed up situation. That was all that mattered. Sjin was the one to awaken first. He saw the grey-faced man on top of him, smiling a little. That was until he saw the shoulder wound. He gently put his hand on it, causing his boss to wince as he slept.

"S-Sorry." He whispered, even though Sips was asleep. The farmer gently wrapped some cloth around the wound, the blood loss already slowing. "Oh Sips...what did we get ourselves into?" He asked, running his bloodied hand through his hair. It hung loosely over his eyes as he lay with his boss, now lover. They had feelings for each other without actually telling the other so they became a pair without actually stating it. Sjin closed his eyes as he tried to remember what had happened. They had come back to Sipsco to rebuild, Lalna came to them for help about Xephos, they began building the trap...and then he was shot. 'What happened after that, though?' He thought. 'I remember vaguely what happened just after then...but it's very hazy. After that...I only remember now.' Sjin kept his arms around Sips, breathing slowly. He heard Sips begin to stir, glancing down at him. "Hello there." He smiled. Sips rest his head against Sjin's torso, smiling back.

"Hello." The two sat side by side. "You seem better." Sjin nodded, his eyes full of life again. Sips then noticed the make-shift bandage around his arm. "Oh, did you do this?" He asked. Sjin nodded again. "Aw, thank you." Sips kissed Sjin's cheek gently. Sjin blushed a little, before he attempted to stand. It was painful; the wound obviously hadn't healed yet. But he managed to stand and help Sips onto his feet. "I wonder if Honeydew has sorted Xephos out." Sips murmured. "When I was up there, Honeydew managed to knock him unconscious." He shrugged. "Should we stay down here, or should we go see what's up?" He looked at his partner for advice. Sjin thought for a moment.

"No." Sjin wrapped his arms around Sips' waist. "I think we should spend more time together first." He whispered, his lips joining with his lover's. Sips didn't object, mirroring Sjin's arm movements. The two decided they wanted to be together alone, not helping their friends. They were important, yes, but not right now. Now they were focused on each other.

* * *

"Sjin? Sips? Either of you around?" Xephos' eyes glowed more brightly when he heard her voice. Why was she here?! "Come on! This is no time to be playing hide and seek!" He glanced over his shoulder, seeing the owl maiden approach. "Honestly, what are those two—Xephos?" Lomadia stopped for a moment, before she ran over to him. "Oh thank goodness you're..." She hesitated a few metres away from Xephos. She could see the dwarf's small body cowering under the spaceman's. "Honey...dew?" Lomadia whispered. The dwarf instantly turned around, seeing Lomadia.

"You need to run! He's not safe!" He shouted, before Xephos gently put his fingers over Honeydew's mouth.

"Hush now. There's nothing to be afraid of." Xephos whispered, chuckling a little. "Oh, Lomadia. I haven't seen you in a while." He looked back at Lomadia. "What brings you here?" He asked. Lomadia was shocked. She had no idea what was going on. Just as Xephos was cursed, she received no letters from him, or any signs of communication. It was like he just disappeared. She was too busy with Nilesy, creating a new base, to find Xephos for this long. She only knew they were at the Jaffa Factory from Xephos' last letter – _'We have the coordinates. The next letter will be from the Jaffa Factory'_. But no letter was received. Now Lomadia half wished she didn't come, seeing this new side of Xephos. "Lomadia, I asked you a question. It's polite to answer." The spaceman's voice broke Lomadia out of her thoughts.

"I came here to find you. When I found no one at the Jaffa Factory, I decided to make my way here." She replied quickly. "But...what's happened to you, Xephos? Your eyes...stained red. Why? Why, Xephos...?" She asked. Honeydew moved Xephos' hand away from his lips.

"A witch cursed him! She's made it so he's lost his sanity!" He explained. Xephos glared at Honeydew, biting hard into his wound. Honeydew screamed, pain shooting down his neck. "L-Lalna tried to find out how to help him, but..." Lomadia's eyes shifted from the pair to the unmoving body of the scientist. Her eyes grew wide. Lalna... She clenched her hands into fists. "Sips and Sjin are safe, for now." Honeydew added, his head becoming fuzzy from blood loss. Xephos ripped away from Honeydew, tearing his skin away with him. This is what broke the dwarf. His face was wet with tears, his neck and shoulder coated in blood. Xephos let the skin rest on his tongue, licking his lips for blood.

"That's it...CRY! Cry like the useless dwarf you are!" He shouted. Lomadia backed away, holding her sword behind her back. It was like he was a different person. Someone she didn't know, and didn't WANT to know. Xephos slowly gazed over at Lomadia, listening to the dwarf's sobs. "What will it take to make YOU cry?" He let redstone scatter on the ground from his grasp, like the blood spreading over Honeydew's shoulder. The wind blew softly, sweeping his hair across his blood stained eyes. "...Why don't you run, Lomadia dear? Unless...you want to feel his pain." The whisper was almost swept away completely by the wind, but Lomadia heard it as clear as if they were next to each other. She almost blindly followed his suggestion, her body wanting to run as far away as she could. But no. Lomadia stood her ground.

"No."

"No? Huh...so you want to feel pain, Lom?" This caused Lomadia to freeze. Only Xephos called her 'Lom', but he was not in that state. He _couldn't_ be. The insanity...it had not left him, and this angered Lomadia.

"Fucker."

"What?!"

"You heard me. You absolute fucker. How DARE you call me Lom, after you've put your closest friends through this pain. Lom is meant to be a sign of affection, but now you're just patronising me. So shut the hell up so I can end this!" She took the sword from behind her back, handling it with more ease than Sips did with his. Xephos stood up, leaving Honeydew on the ground. He was still more skilled than the owl maiden, but Lomadia was also no pushover. Lomadia almost regretted challenging Xephos, as he was her boyfriend. But there was a word she needed to remember – was. This was no longer Xephos. He was no longer her boyfriend. Xephos WAS the past. Now this is someone else. Someone she had to kill.

"Alright then, Lomadia. We'll see who will end who."

* * *

A/N: Turns out I can write fast ^_^ That's good for you guys/girls! Though, I will definitely not be uploading over the weekend. Sorry, but as I mentioned before, going to a friend's, so ;P It's also a good place to build up some suspense xD


	6. Free Souls

"Well go on then, Lomadia. Make your move!" This taunt caused the flames in Lomadia to blaze. 'Fine then.' She thought to herself. She lunged towards the psychotic spaceman, slashing her sword at him. "Huh, amateur." Xephos easily blocked the attacks, countering with his own. Lomadia winced, holding her cheek gently. There was a slight cut on her cheek where the tip of Xephos' blade had just caught the skin. She glared at Xephos, watching his blood red eyes. There was no going back now. It was either kill or be killed. Lomadia attacked again, this time aiming a little differently. Xephos just laughed, until he felt the sharp blade connect with his side. His smile instantly disappeared, becoming more serious. "Interesting..." He murmured. Lomadia blinked, watching as Xephos brought out his nail gun. 'Gotta avoid that at all costs. I can't be handling a nail in me while I'm fighting.' She thought to herself. She dodged a nail that was aimed at her chest, her brain beginning to work. 'This feels...like a pattern.' Lomadia slashed the next nail away with her sword. 'Has he got a pattern? Certain moves...' She jumped back as Xephos lunged for her. 'I have to figure it out.' "What's wrong, Lomadia? You confused?" She glared at the spaceman, kicking him back. Lomadia watched him stumble, taking her chance. She ran up, kneeing him in the gut.

"Shut up!" Xephos coughed, a small speck of blood hitting the floor. For some reason...this pleased Lomadia. She slashed at his face, nicking the bridge of his nose. "I'm fine. I'm going to take you down!" She dodged to the side and around as both nails and the blade came towards her. Lomadia gasped, the blade slicing through her right leg. She held her leg gently, feeling her warm blood run onto her hand. She saw the evil look in his eyes, her anger replacing her pain; now was the time. "Right...now!" Lomadia stabbed forward, straight through his stomach. Xephos' eyes glazed over, unfocused as he watched Lomadia. Blood ran from his lips, his arms becoming limp...but not before Lomadia felt the sharp piercing of the nail through her skin. It went straight through her chest. Neither could be saved as the two collapsed into a heap on the ground. They were both slipping away. Lomadia watched the world blur, looking at her former lover. "I...love..."

"...You." Hearing the true him for the last time made Lomadia happy. Now she knew she did the right thing, resting on the motionless body as she lost consciousness. The two lay there, their souls being free to be together again.

* * *

Honeydew saw everything. He sat terrified as he watched them die. He had already watched Lalna die...and now two more friends. Honeydew clenched his hands around his head, rocking gently back and forth. He wanted it to end. He wanted it to be ok. But no. It would never be ok. He stared blankly ahead, not even moving when FINALLY Sips and Sjin decided to come out. They were just as shocked as Honeydew, but they had each other. Now who did Honeydew have? He had always liked Xephos, more than just a friend, but now he was dead. Lalna, his faithful scientist, was dead. Lomadia...he felt a hand on his shoulder but didn't react. He just kept wishing to himself:

End.

End.

End.

"Honeydew...I'm sorry." Sjin gave Honeydew a quick hug, leaving the dwarf to his mourning. He intertwined his fingers with his new lover's, who kissed his cheek gently. The two from Sipsco decided to leave Honeydew with his dead friends. Knowing Sips, he would just upset the poor dwarf more anyway. Sjin was half lost in thought, glancing back every few seconds at the dwarf. There he sat, cradling himself. "Will he be ok, Sips?" He asked quietly. Sips looked at his farmer, gently putting his arm around his shoulders.

"I don't know Sjin. I really don't know."

* * *

A/N: The ending is a little short but that's fine. So, thanks for reading. And I hope I did a good job of creating this, tatorkator ;D


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